Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Jazz Caff Refugees At The Star: April 10: The Budtones


Fiona Littlewood (vocals/tenor sax); Stuart Findon (tenor sax); Mike Papapavlou(guitar);
John Pope (bass); Eric Stutt (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex.)
The band made a good start with a long instrumental (The Message?) with everyone getting a chance to show their metal, tenors doing lovely harmonies together, bell-like guitar, 4’s from the drums, bass doing what basses do, then came Fiona with her second instrument, singing an expressive Straight No Chaser, not the easiest of songs, plenty room for band solos, and a strong ending when she repeated ‘now is the time, now is the time.  
All The Things You Are had the Charlie Parker introduction, I'm told, but unfortunately, during this number Stuart’s tenor became ill and went out of commission, probably a loose spring, so someone suggested to me.  Stuart had to use the other tenor, which must have disrupted the set list, but they still managed well, although the total sound was obviously less full than it would have been.  I suppose this happens to all bands at some time.
You Don't Know What Love Is opened gently with just voice, bass and cymbals, a lovely slow ballad, effective solos, then back to the cymbals at the end. 
Fiona stepped aside for the next number, or so it seemed, but popped back in for some scat singing and then a musical conversation with the sax.  A Stuart Findon original, Stu’s Blues,   (about the poorly sax?) pleasantly tricky, with a cracking drum solo. The final number was Dexter Gordon’s Cheesecake, complete with wolf whistles from guitar, sax solo and more from drums, and a final chorus from Fiona.  Well done, and a gig not without its challenges.
I think I'm finally starting to understand more about bebop and the differences between that and the earlier swing styles.  Bebop is more fragmented, choppy, stop and start but also with long angular themes and solos and I love the endings with drum rolls, tenor squawks, you’re not quite sure when it has ended, quite humorous.  I imagine everyone reading this knew this already, but it’s still relatively new to me, so please bear with me!
The Jam
Heather Jane (vocals); Jeff Smith (tenor sax); Paul Gowland (tenor sax) plus John, Eric, Mike as above.
Heather treated us to an atmospheric Round Midnight, sung well, with lots of space for band solos.  Heather hails from the Lindsay Hannon jazz singing class and she can also be heard at the Chillingham session on Wednesdays, definitely a woman to watch.  Heather followed this with a fast version of Autumn Leaves, with Mike providing falling leaf sort of sounds at the end.  An instrumental rounded off an enjoyable evening, Au Privave, played by guitar, tenor, bass and drums. 
Ann Alex    

No comments :

Blog Archive